CALENDAR FOR MARCH 17

• The Lee County Community Orchestra program for its March concerts will include six soloists and a violin quartet — all of them musicians who play regularly with the community group now in its 25th season. "Celebrating the Musicians" will take place at 3 p.m. at Grace Chapel Church. A reception honoring the artists will follow.

• Friends of the Harnett County Library will celebrate St. Patrick's Day with a social event at 2 p.m. at the Harnett County Public Library, Lillington. Featured entertainment for the afternoon is Southwind, performing traditional Irish, Scottish, New England, French-Canadian, and Cape Breton music. The band consists of Alison Arnold on wooden flute and tin whistle, Julie Gorka on Celtic harp, and Gordon Arnold on cello. A short business meeting will precede the entertainment with election of new officers. Refreshments and a social hour will follow the free program, which is open to the public.

• Doors open and registration begins for the Bouldergeist III mountain bike race, the second race in the Southern Classic Mountain Bike Series, at 8 a.m. at San Lee Park, 572 Pumping Station Road, Sanford. The race includes several classes, and the cost to enter is free for youth 10 and under, $15 for juniors and $35 for some women and men's classes; the day-of-registration fee is $10. Register at www.usacycling.org/register/2013-517.

• Temple Theatre will present “Forever Plaid” at 2 p.m. at 120 Carthage St. The show runs through March 17; Ticket prices are $23 for adults (Thursday night adult ticket is $19), $13 for children/students and $19 for Lee County teachers/educators, active military and groups of 10 or more. Tickets may be purchased in person or by contacting the box office via phone or email at (919) 774-4155 or boxoffice@templeshows.com.

• The public is invited to learn about hydraulic fracturing (fracking), and how North Carolina is opening the door to this controversial industry, when the Chatham County Democratic Women meet at 3 p.m. in the Holmes Room, Chatham Community Library (on CCCC campus, Pittsboro). The meeting will show how other U.S. communities are coping with this industry, environmental pitfalls and legal ramifications for property owners. The N.C. Mining and Energy Commission is now creating the rules on how this industry will operate.

• One By One meets at 4 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church, 525 Carthage St. One By One welcomes all people who are interested in improving race relationships in an atmosphere where frank and open discussion is encouraged. For more information, please call (919) 774-4797.

MONDAY

• A free seminar titled “Access to Capital, Understanding the 5 C's of Credit” will be held from 1-3 p.m. at the Dennis A. Wicker Civic Center, 1801 Nash St., Sanford. This seminar will give new and/or existing business owners a better understanding of what underwriters look for when analyzing their loan requests. The following topics will be discussed: Basics of the 5C's; what should be in a business plan; business financials to have ready for a loan request; collateral versus equity; how a loan request is analyzed; and resources to help get ready. Presenter is G. Edward Timberlake, small business lending manager, The Support Center. To register, please call (919) 774-6442 or email sbc@cccc.edu. Seminars are subject to cancellation without a minimum number of pre-registrations.

TUESDAY

• The Lee Soil and Water Conservation District awards banquet will be held at 6:30 p.m. in the Lee County Farm Bureau auditorium (McSwain Ag Center), 2420 Tramway Road, Sanford. Dinner will be served.

• Concerned Citizens against Fracking, with Stand Your Ground, N.C., will host a gathering from 6:30–8:30 p.m. at Courthouse #4, Horner Boulevard, Sanford. Guest speakers will be presenting information. Concerns over property rights, property values, water supply, infrastructure, air pollution and more will be heard. This meeting has been created to share information prior to the final laws being written that will affect Lee County. Contact Eddoris@windstream.net to learn more.

• Pittsboro Feed, along with North Carolina Cooperative Extension Poultry Agent Dan Campeau, will host the third of four chicken workshops in the month of March from 11:30-1 p.m. at the store, 1103 East St. Pittsboro. The meeting today will cover housing — light versus permanent. Sign up by calling (919) 542-2454. Light snacks will be available for lunch. All four classes are available for $15, or participants can pay $5 per class.

• Rally to Keep the Promise — Stop the Rush to Frack will be held at 6 p.m. at the plaza across the street from the General Assembly building, 16 W. Jones St., Raleigh. The gathering is presented by Clean Water for North Carolina, Food & Water Watch, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom- Triangle Branch and Environment North Carolina.

WEDNESDAY

• The Parkinson's support group for those with Parkinson's disease, their family members and caregivers, will meet at 10:30 a.m. at the Enrichment Center of Lee County. Meeting topics include exercise, sleep and your medicines. Come at 10 a.m. for Kathy's Directions with Dancing.

• The Teaching Fellows Program in Campbell University's School of Education will hold a bone marrow registry drive for students, faculty and staff at Campbell and for individuals in surrounding communities from 9 a.m.-7 p.m. in Taylor Hall 118 on the university's main campus in Buies Creek. The drive will be part of Be The Match, a national marrow donor program that helps patients with blood diseases find bone marrow transplant donors and receive treatment. According to Be The Match, about 10,000 patients each year receive a bone marrow transplant.

• The annual Sanford Business and Professional Women luncheon will be held from 11:45 a.m.-1 p.m.at the McSwain Center. The event will feature a presentation titled “Keys to a Wildly Wonderful Career,” featuring Linda Watson, author of the best-selling book “Wildly Affordable Organic” and co-creator of the “Wildly Good Cook” videos. It will also include lunch from Mrs. Lacy's. Admission is $12; register and pay online at sanfordbpw.org.

• A free seminar titled “Record Keeping and Taxes for Existing and Prospective Small Businesses (CBS)” will be held from 9-11 a.m. at the Dennis A. Wicker Civic Center, 1801 Nash St., Sanford. This seminar will cover basic record keeping and taxation for small businesses including federal and state taxes, employment taxes, depreciation, deductible expenses, record-keeping systems and software, financial statements and resources for small businesses. There will be time allowed for questions and answers. Presenter is Lori Stiles, Fortis Accounting Service LLC. To register, please call (919) 774-6442 or email sbc@cccc.edu.